Stories from August 14th: Madam Ricardie and Father Luc
Father Luc Desire is the priest in charge of St. Paul’s Campus, and has been since August of 2017. Madam Ricardie, his wife, is also an integral part of leadership at the school and parish.
For the week leading up to the earthquake, there was a youth enrichment camp at St. Paul’s. Both Madam Ricardie and Father Luc helped out with the programs, planning, cooking, activities, training, and seminars.
On the morning of August 14th, Madam Ricardie and Father Luc were in their house getting ready for the day when the shaking started. Madam Ricardie fell on the bed, but immediately got up and tried to leave. Each door was jammed shut, but Father Luc forced his way through, grabbed Madam Ricarde, and carried her out.
Once they got to the courtyard, both Madam Ricardie and Father Luc fell to the ground. Petrified, Ricardie couldn’t move or get up the rest of the day. She described how terrible it was to live through an earthquake and the tremors that followed.
The following day, they cooked rice outside for the community. Many people came hungry and Madam Ricardie worked to help everyone who was looking for food. Within two days, Father Luc and Madam Ricardie’s families had run out of supplies.
Ricardie and Luc explain how stressful it has been to think about all of the people in the community. Not only are they trying to help themselves and those living on campus, but they are trying to support all members of the parish and the surrounding community.
Ricardie is particularly worried about the elder members of the church and how they will survive without housing in the middle of hurricane season. She worries about the pregnant women as well. Under these circumstances, she questions how they will survive giving birth and raising a baby without a home.
Update: Locally Haiti has provided direct support to the parish, its staff, and the community, this through St. Paul’s Parish and the leadership of Father Luc and Madam Ricardie. In addition, plans are being finalized to build a new home for staff on campus, this to include Father Luc and Madam Ricardie.
